Introduction
Computers and other computing technology have become an integral part of our society. Because of that it is
easy to forget that not every student will come to this course with the same background and skills. For many
students this course will be the first opportunity they have to become facile with using the keyboard and
navigating the internet.
The topics in this unit are designed to allow all students to gain familiarity with computers and computing in the
context of activities that give students an opportunity to work at their own pace, collaborate in groups where
they can learn from each other and generally gain an overview of the many and varied ways in which computers
and computing are used.
The unit is divided into three main sections.
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Exploring the concepts of computer and computing by investigating computer hardware components
and a variety of internet resources (Days 1-7)
Exploring the use of computers in a variety of circumstances and fields (Days 8-13)
The computer as a machine that needs to be provided specific instructions (Days 14-19)
The goal is for all students in the class to reach a level of comfort in using the computer and understand that the
computer is not magic. The fact that for a computer to accomplish its tasks it needs to be given precise
instructions motivates the need for the problem solving techniques that will be addressed in Unit 2.
Specific topics for each instructional day are listed in the overview chart on the next page.
Exploring Computer Science—Unit 1: Human Computer Interaction
Daily Overview Chart
Instructional Day
Topic
1-2
Explore the concepts of computer and computing.
3-4
“Demystify” and learn the function of the parts of a personal computer.
Learn the terminology of hardware components necessary for the
purchase of a home computer.
Explore the world wide web and search engines. Experiment with a
variety of search techniques, internet resources, and Web 2.0,
applications. Evaluate websites.
5-7
8-9
10
Examine the implications of data on society and how computers are used
for communications.
Tell a story with data.
11-14
Explore how computers are used as a tool for visualizing data, modeling
and design, and art in the context of culturally situated design tools.
15-16
Introduce the concept of a computer program as a set of instructions.
17-19
Explore the idea of intelligence—especially as it relates to computers.
Explore what it means for a machine to “learn”. Discuss whether
computers are intelligent or whether they only behave intelligently.
Exploring Computer Science—Unit 1: Human Computer Interaction